Let's get real... Parenthood is not all rainbows and butterflies.. And if you are one of those parents that tries to tell us that everything is incredible and wonderful, well, we won't be friends for long.
I suppose I should have a disclaimer to preface this post...
DISCLAIMER: **We love Atticus so very much, and we are more than thrilled that he is in our life!
Okay, now that the disclaimer is out of the way, let's be honest. . . We are 7 weeks into this parenthood process and WE ARE EXHAUSTED. We are exhausted and we have a pretty well behaved (most of the time), good sleeping baby. So when you see a mom walking around in sweats, looking disheveled, with bad hair, and children with food remnants on their face, please don't judge. We have all been there or will be there soon. I say that, but those that know me know that I will always have good hair and wipe that baby's face!! The rest may take over soon enough. I am a big proponent of time for relationships and self, and that has not been more clear to me than the last 4-6 weeks. To all those parents that do not leave their babies, that do not do date night, and do not go out for alone time; Bless your hearts!! We will see you on "Snapped" very soon. Just so you know, you cannot safe surrender a two year old...So go shopping or out for coffee alone and you will want to hurt them less.
I mentioned earlier that we have a fairly well behaved baby. This is kind of true, minus the last week or so. Our bundle of 'joy' (other names have been deleted for CPS' sake), has taken to fits of screaming throughout the day. I cannot claim that this is really all my problem right now because I am back to work and Jen is home for another week and a half, but I have experienced this as well once I get home. He is not wet, he is not hungry, he is not tired, and as far as I know no one (including a ghost) is pinching him. So why the hell is he screaming bloody murder unless we are walking around jostling him?! I'll tell you.. WHO THE HELL KNOWS!!!
Well, we were told it's possibly gas.. How silly. Our child screams as though we are trying to chop his leg off with a butter knife, and the reasoning is GAS? Fine.. We can handle gas (maybe). So we tried everything, and we took him into the doctor. No Fever. No Colic. No Reflux. No Earache. "His tummy is gurgling... " Are you freaking kidding me! There is a point (and don't try to deny it) where you want your old life back. He does not talk to us, he sort of smiles when he feels like it, he does not sleep regularly, he can't feed himself, and we can't take him anywhere cool. So this can make every parent feel a little off their rocker. We want to eat dinner together at home, we want to watch all of our TV shows that are coming back this Fall, we want to sleep in more than 4-7 hour increments (I know that's pretty good, don't judge), and we want to run to target at 7:30 to spend an obnoxious amount of money on nothing!! Damnit, we want to go to a movie on a Friday without having to convince our friends or Meemaw that Atticus misses them (hehe) and they should babysit!
Jen and I have both looked at each other the last 7 weeks and said "Why did we want to have kids," "I'm not a good mom," "I understand why someone would want to shake a baby," "We are not having anymore kids," "Maybe we don't love him enough." Before you get on your high horse and think we are nuts or evil people, I'll tell you something... RELAX. Allow yourself to feel what you feel and when you feel it. It does not make you shitty, it makes you healthy and normal. When your baby is screaming and you are bug-eyed, in your pajamas, starving, sleep deprived, in the same undies for three days, and crying; put the damn baby down and walk outside. Take a deep breath and repeat this mantra that I have found helpful.. and I know it to be true... *Every parent in the world has felt this way at one time or another while parenting; I am not a freak.
I promise that will work. We are too hard on ourselves these days.. You have to be supermom, work a job, make dinner, have multiple kids, maintain a good figure, and be a great spouse.. Good Lord people, we are only human!! And you only live ONCE, so try to make it pleasant, memorable, and jail free!
xoxoxo until next time!
Remember, do what you feel is right; don't listen to opinions. The only opinion that matters in the end is your own!!
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